1. Field
The apparatus, methods, and systems disclosed, illustrated and claimed in this document pertain generally to establishing and maintaining communications links between separable movable objects. More particularly, the new and useful system for pairing vehicle components disclosed and claimed in this document is capable of identifying and authenticating movable objects such as vehicle components to be either physically coupled or physically decoupled, confirming that the correct movable objects have been coupled, and/or confirming that the correct vehicle components have been decoupled. The system for pairing vehicle components is particularly but not exclusively useful in one non-exclusive aspect for identifying, authenticating, and confirming physical coupling and physical decoupling of vehicle components such as tractors and trailers.
2. Background
Mobile asset management is a major concern in various transportation industries such as trucking, railroad, industrial equipment, and similar industries. In the trucking industry, for example, an asset manager may desire to track the status and location of several tractor and trailer assets that are included within the scope of the term “vehicle components” in this document.
An asset manager may want to know whether a vehicle component is in service, where the vehicle component is located, as well as a wide range of status questions in connection with one or more vehicle components (collectively, “vehicle status”). If an asset manager is able to collect reliable information about the vehicle status of vehicle components, an asset manager can confidently monitor, arrange for, and confirm accurate and correct pairing of vehicle components. Without such reliable information, confusion and error is likely in connection with efforts associated with pairing of vehicle components.
Presently, however, consistently reliable and accurate identification and authentication of pairing status of vehicle components by an asset manager is not always possible. In addition, consistently accurate confirmation about either physical coupling, or about correct decoupling, is not possible. These limitations of the current state of the art are the result of at least the following factors. about correct decoupling, is not possible. These limitations of the current state of the art are the result of at least the following factors.
Basic communication between movable objects such as tractors and trailers often is unreliable. Several methods in current use provide basic, low bandwidth data communication using one or more dedicated wires, a power line communications configuration, and/or a short range wireless link. However, those systems may be unreliable and often are proprietary. If proprietary, communication failures may occur between and among vehicle components equipped with communication apparatus from different sources. To achieve the pairing goals of an asset manager, movable objects such as a tractor and trailer must have, or be able to establish, reliable and consistently operable electrical connections between the vehicle components, or, in the case of some wireless apparatus, be in close proximity, and have compatible devices installed to be able to communicate.
Another problem is pairing uncertainty using short range wireless links such as radio frequency, acoustic, and/or infrared systems. The short operational range of such systems is a significant limitation. Assuming that a tractor initiates a request for authentication as a prelude to physical coupling with a specific trailer, there may be in the vicinity of the tractor a number of other trailers within wireless range that are equipped with compatible asset tracking units, each suggesting it is the “correct” (but actually is incorrect) trailer to be physically coupled.
Similarly, if a tractor is in fact correctly identified for physical coupling with the proper intended trailer, those charged with accomplishing the physical coupling may err by coupling the tractor to an incorrect trailer, a result undetectable until after the tractor has moved from its location with the unintended trailer.